


under the sun and the moon

by saernamaz



Series: Lamen Week 2020 [1]
Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Grief/Mourning, Lamen Week, Lamen Week 2020, Light Angst, M/M, but i kinda forgot and i was busy, im so late
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24856828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saernamaz/pseuds/saernamaz
Summary: Ten years after Marlas, a commemoration is organized in their joint Kingdom, with the Summer Palace as the symbolic place of peace and devotion.Damianos learns how to acknowledge his mistakes, Laurent learns how to forgive and go past his grieve, and in the end, the Summer Palace really is their salvation.(Lamen Week Day 1: Summer Palace)
Relationships: Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Series: Lamen Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798330
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17
Collections: Lamen Week 2020





	under the sun and the moon

**Author's Note:**

> me ? writing a fic without symbolism and without projections my culture on laurent ? impossible.

Ablaze, the sun was slowly descending behind the marble halls of Isthma. Joyful laughter erupted from the star-bathed gardens, as Damianos continued his story, accented by the light strings of the minstrel. A few guests, most of them Veretians were dancing to the tune, thoughtless arrangements of leg movement, bounces and jumps, abandoned to a merry atmosphere in an idyllic landscape. It had been Laurent’s idea. ‘The palace has a nice lake,’ he had said. ‘Why not move the court there, just this once. Auguste would want to see it.’

Over the years, they had come to associate the Summer Palace with light-heartedness, peace and sweetness. From the ripe apricots to the massages shared under the shade of a tree, Isthma transpired heaven to them. Damianos looked at Laurent. He was smiling, chin resting on his palm, listening intensely to Berenger speak about equine offsprings back in Varenne. The empty seat between them never bothered them in their discussion. Damen turned back to Nikandros, Laurent’s smile engraved in his mind.

When the first star twinkled in the sky, an herald called for silence and recited a quick blessing in old Veretian, something Damianos did not understand, and all guests stood as one, forgetting their meal and conversation to make their way to the disseminated boats on the gardens’ lake. Laurent took his hand and kissed his knuckles, giving him a private smile before driving him forward. They boarded a magnificent raft, made of polished wood and decorated with fluid engraved lines twisting into different motives. Silks and cushions were arranged in the boat to make it more comfortable.

The water glistened with the splendor of flames scattered on the still lake, floating on white dish on the pond, twinkling in the dark of the night. Rose petals were dancing on the surface, haloed by the flames and the moonlight. Sometimes, the small waves of a boat would squander them away, creating a clear path to go through, or Laurent would let his fingers brush petals away. Damianos stayed still, watching his husband’s reflection in the water, surrounded by candles, blossoms, and the distinguishable arches of the Summer Palace and its orange trees.

It would be a romantic and ethereal picture, if Damianos did not know what they represented for his partner. Marlas had happen ten years ago, if you followed the lunar calendar of Vere, and even though Laurent had forgiven him, he had not forgotten what took his father and brother away. He mourned still, in silence, and Damen mourned with him. Somehow, Marlas had been what had killed them both.

Marlas had been what made Damen a slave, and ultimately freed him, gifted him with Laurent and endless bliss. The soldier he had been, the arrogant, reckless prince was no more, replaced by a hardened, sensible King. The Damianos that had killed Auguste in a fit of lust for approval, discarding any sign of surrender the Crown Prince might had send his way, weak and tired on the battlefield, had been murdered the day he fell for Laurent, and maybe even before, the day he bowed to the lashes.

Damen could only speculated what Marlas was to Laurent. The death of his family, betrayal and torment, a lifetime of fright and punishment for sins he did not commit. A little boy thrown into adulthood too soon, faced with mighty dangers alone. Marlas had made him a King, when he did not even want it. He remembered their conversations, the shy, bookish boy, trailing after his brother. All he had wished for, envisioned and daydreamed about. Damen had taken it from him.

On the other side of the boat, Laurent was repressing a yawn, sprawled elegantly, watching the flowers start to sink below the iridescent reflection of the moonlight. He looked delicate, soft with sleep and probably melancholy, his features only barely lit, but still rosy in the white light. A small smile spread on his face.

“What is it?”

“Are you—” Happy with how things turned out? Still grieving your former life? Glad you allowed yourself to forgive me? “Free?”

Laurent watched him cautiously, his brows furrowed. He tilted his head, letting a few strands of gold fall before his eyes, and Damen wanted to brush them away, but he could not move, apprehensive. Blue eyes darted to his left, somewhere over the water. Laurent extended a hand in that direction, reaching for something that Damianos did not dare look.

“I think so.”

And he smiled in earnest, presenting Damen with a white butterfly, who seemed to watch them for an instant, before taking flight.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed reading this piece about, well, mourning and forgiveness ? quick explanation of the symbols and things that may not make sense, if you really want to thoroughly understand:
> 
> \- the sun is the symbol of intellect and truth, whereas the moon is more of an emotional symbol. that's the beginning of the symbolism anyway ;)
> 
> \- the empty chair between berenger and laurent is meant to represent a place for auguste, so with a seat, food, cutlery, as if he was going to come at any moment. maybe he is ? hashtag ghost fic
> 
> \- the butterfly is the ultimate representation of resurrection, and it is said that butterflies coming to you are really your ancestors coming to visit you


End file.
